Witness at murder trial says she requested a smudge before Reno Lee's body was buried in shallow grave

A woman told the trial for the three men accused of killing Reno Lee that after driving a bound Lee to a house in North Central Regina, she fell asleep on a couch — once waking up to the sound of a gunshot, then again to a grinding sound, like a saw cutting through bone.

Her statements were made Tuesday as testimony to 11 jurors hearing the first-degree murder trial of the three men accused of killing and decapitating the 34-year-old in April 2015.

Lee's remains were found on the Star Blanket First Nation on April 30, 2015, but it was later determined he died in Regina.

Bronson Gordon, Daniel Theodore and Andrew Bellegarde have all pleaded not guilty.

'I couldn't go back'

The witness testified on Tuesday that she asked if she could say a quick prayer and smudge on Star Blanket First Nation —where police say Reno Lee's limbs, torso and head were discovered wrapped in plastic and buried in a shallow grave.

"I couldn't go back once they had him in the hole," she told the court.

In about three hours of testimony and questioning from Crown prosecutor Adam Breker, the woman — whose identity is protected by a publication ban — recalled the lead-up to that moment and the events of April 16, 2015, the date police believe Lee was killed.

The witness testified to being involved with a street gang at the time, knowing all of the accused and earning money by selling drugs and pushing women into prostitution. 

She told court she began selling crystal meth for Lee and their relationship turned into friendship.

The woman said she had also been doing favours for, and picking up drugs from, Gordon. 

In her testimony, she said she recalled just having returned from a drug run with Lee when she says Gordon raised the idea of arranging a business meeting with Lee, since Gordon was getting a good deal on coke and Lee was selling meth.

Court heard she then attended this introductory meeting with Lee and Gordon, which was held at a bar.

'Talk numbers'

She testified that at one point, Gordon suggested taking the meeting to an apartment "to talk numbers," so the three did.

She said Theodore was there when they arrived and further introductions were made. 

Court heard that Gordon and Lee discussed specific details about drug weight and what they would charge each other, but the group eventually decided to go a bedroom because there were other women at the apartment.

The woman testified that Gordon and Lee entered the bedroom and slammed the door, leaving her and Theodore on the outside.

'I was pretty in shock'

"I was pretty in shock," she told court. 

She testified to hearing the muffled cries of Lee and the sounds of beating, like punching and stomping.

Gordon left the room, she told court, and together, along with Theodore, they went onto the apartment's balcony. 

That's where, the woman testified, she was told she would need to do a favour for the men. 

She told court that in a street-gang lifestyle, "a lot of stuff is on a need-to-know basis," saying it's often better not to know what's going on. 

She testified that as per instructions, she brought her vehicle close to the apartment block's door and witnessed two men — including Bellegarde, who was armed with a gun— descend a staircase, one on either side of Lee, whose hands were bound.

She said she then drove the group, including Theodore, to a house on Garnet Street and said they all went inside.

She testified the scene inside the house was chaotic, with other people in the house at the time and the group of men going downstairs. 

'I woke up to the sound of a gunshot'

"I couldn't bring myself to go downstairs," the woman testified.

"I was scared. I felt really bad.

"I just didn't want to see Reno like that," said told court, saying she heard Lee's muffled attempts to talk.

At one point, she said Theodore emerged from the basement, asking for zip ties. 

Court heard the woman stayed at the house for several hours, leaving twice to assist Theodore with certain requests, then eventually falling asleep on a couch upstairs.

"I woke up to the sound of a gunshot," she told jurors. "I knew at that point what had happened."

According to the woman, a "wild-eyed" and upset-looking Bellegarde then ran upstairs, going into the bathroom and making sounds like he was sick.

She also testified to being instructed to clean off a rifle and shells.

The woman told court after falling asleep again, she awoke to the sound of a hand-held saw, which she testified was making a "grinding" sound, like a saw going through bone.

Witness says she was told about decapitation

After hearing the sound, she testified Bellegarde emerged from the basement again, going into a bathroom and dry heaving.

After taking a deep breath, her voice shaking, she testified being told by Bellegarde he had been holding Lee's head as Theodore was sawing it off when some plastic slipped off, exposing the gunshot wound and the deceased's eyes, which were open. 

The woman then told court it was her idea to dispose of Lee's body on a reserve and they settled on Star Blanket First Nation as the location. 

A hockey bag was loaded into the vehicle, court heard, as was a laundry basket containing two or three medium-sized black plastic bags.

The witness said while driving, they stopped so she could purchase shovels.

She testified that on the drive back to Regina she was crying, saying she didn't understand why it happened and that Lee was good guy. 

Theodore told her that "sometimes bad things need to happen for a greater good," the woman testified.

Her testimony will continue Wednesday.